Some 2,700 years ago, we went to sleep one night in a world defined by a land, its Temple, and its three levels of society: Kohanim, Leviim, and Yisraelim. We woke up the next day in grief. Our Jewish identity had been flung into the air and fallen to the ground, shattered. A Jew who had always defined himself as a Kohen or Levi had no land, no Temple, no tasks to perform. Yisraelim had no tithes to give and no opportunity for taharah, purification. As we marched into Babylon, it seemed that our entire way of life was lost.
At the same time, however, seeds had been planted to rectify this tragedy. Years before, our scholars were the first Jews to be exiled, and the institutions of learning they established had blossomed miraculously. When the rest of our nation arrived in Babylon, an infrastructure for Jewish survival was already in place. We call this era the Babylonian Exile, a brief period of 70 years that included the reign of Persia and Media. As the massive Babylonian Empire fell, Persia became a world power, controlling 127 kingdoms. And when the Persian Empire fell, in turn, those Jews who, sadly, had not returned to Israel to build the Second Temple lived in the tiny piece of the fallen Persian Empire that remained: what we today call Iran. Today’s Iranian Jews are thus Babylonian Jews whose exile began 2,700 years ago. In fact, R’ Daniel Golfeiz explains, it is inaccurate to term Persian Jews Sephardim because their exile never included a stay in Spain (Sepharad). The proper term is Edut HaMizrach (the Congregation of the East).
Remarkably, the ancient world of the Persian Jews is very much alive today, an astonishing reality, considering that this community fled from Iran – again, almost overnight – when the Shah was overthrown in 1979. As in ancient times, its entire way of life was shattered. But if we look patiently and deeply, the recent history of the Iranian Jewish community in Baltimore will remind us of the early days of the Babylonian exile. In another miracle disguised by nature, the resurgence of Persian Jewish culture is preserving one of the oldest, most authentic forms of Judaism.
New Beginnings in Baltimore
Many of us know of the prescient vision of Rabbi Herman Neuberger, zt”l, who traveled to Iran during the years of the Shah and sponsored 10 budding Iranian scholars to come to Ner Israel. Although they were meant to return to Iran to strengthen their communities, the Iranian revolution intervened, and these young men (all, today, leaders in their communities) ended up remaining in America. It was they who laid the groundwork for their brothers and sisters who would soon flee Iran.
When these relatives arrived, the future of the unique Persian Jewish heritage seemed uncertain. The young people married and started families. They founded a congregation, Ohr HaMizrach. Their children attended Ashkenazi schools, while the parents industriously opened businesses, such as (but not limited to) A-Z Savings, Caramel Pizza, Convenient Cleaners, Kosher Bite, Royal Restaurant, Savings Center, and Shlomo’s Meat Market, whose operations took the majority of their time and strength as they worked to establish themselves financially. The immigrants acquired basic, accented English, while their children soon became fluent in English and “American” in their culture.
At this time lay leaders of Ohr HaMizrach under the leadership of Rabbi Rouben Arieh, who has led the shul for three decades, stepped forward to build a Persian synagogue that would become a center for Iranian Jews, a place of proud Torah learning and prayer and a continuation of their 2,700-year-old tradition as Iranian Jews. (That tradition was being revitalized throughout this period by young Iranian scholars who learned at Ner Israel Yeshiva. In fact, the Yeshiva made a point of encouraging them to study and practice the Persian mesorah.)
The beit knesset they envisioned needed to be a majestic building that would make its community proud, and so, in 2004, with the generous help of the Associated Jewish Charities, fundraising began under the leadership of Rabbi Rouben Arieh and R’ Daniel Golfeiz. It culminated in 2009 as Congregation Ohr HaMizrach Sephardic Center opened its doors. The foresight – first of Rabbi Neuberger’s bold plan and, later, of the first generation of immigrants’ hard work to become financially independent while staying true to their roots – was blessed with success on that day. However, there was more work to be done.
The work needed was with the children. Shabbat and holidays were observed, but while parents attended services, their Americanized children “hung out” outside, socializing. What would become of Iranian customs if its youth was disengaged? What would become of family structure if children assimilated into American society while parents remained observant? Aren’t the children the future of every community? It did not take long for the Persian community to respond. R’ Shmuel Lavi stepped forward to offer a dvar Torah and 15 to 20 minutes of learning for teen boys after Friday night davening. Pure Torah, with love, no food or drinks. And the boys loved it.
Youth Minyan
R’ Lavi’s next effort was more challenging. When he began a youth minyan, fewer than 10 boys came. Space was tight as the new building was not complete; the youth minyan was held next door, in a house. The heat was broken; the boys davened in their coats. But R’ Lavi persevered. Slowly, the youth minyan grew… and grew… and grew. The room it was given in the new building became too small. So the wall and a coat closet were knocked down. Soon, this room became too small. The minyan moved upstairs, and that became too small. The latest plan is to attach two rooms and the hallway between them to provide a much larger space and a bigger women’s section. The members of the youth minyan board have chosen to raise the money for half the costs of this expansion. Today, the Youth Minyan is “the biggest pulse in the shul,” according to Mrs. Chana Lavi, wife of R’ Lavi and youth programming board member. Each week, R’ Lavi prepares a cholent kiddush with a mechitzah for 35 to 50 or more boys and girls. In fact, post-high school men and women who attended this minyan in middle school and high school do not want to leave it. In this minyan, “each member counts, and each member shines,” comments Mrs. Chana Lavi. The boys lead the services using their ancient tunes, preserving their unique heritage. Marriages have their roots in this minyan. But that is not all.
Weeknight Youth Programming
Each year, from Sukkos to Pesach, the Lavis voluntarily direct three nights of activities per week in addition to special events from time to time. Of course, food is never absent. The middle school boys meet once a week with Mr. Avi Goldfeiz to learn the Iranian trop (melodies) for each prayer service so that they can lead the youth minyan and read the Torah. Unlike Ashkenazi Jews, Persian Jews recite the entire service out loud together with the chazan. This dates from the ancient times of the first exile, when prayer books were rare. To complicate matters, these melodies vary for each of the three major holidays, Shabbat, and Rosh Chodesh. The chazan must therefore know the melodies well, chant in a loud voice, and present confidence – no small task for post-bar mitzva boys. But these children are the future leaders of their community, and so Mr. Avi Goldfeiz teaches with recordings and even a musical instrument to accompany the boys. When a boy is ready, he is rewarded for his participation. They also study the haunting piyutim (poems) unique to their tradition. In this way, the Hebrew pronunciation and prayer melodies are preserved even though the boys use the Ashkenazi pronunciation every day at school.
On a different weekday evening Mr. Yehoyada Arieh meets with middle school boys, teaching them about the lives of their great leaders, such as the Beit Yosef, and proceeds to learn the unique halachos of the Persian tradition. As the boys grow older and attend yeshiva, four to five yungerleit learn with them in small groups. The Father-and-Son Learning Program on Motzei Shabbat, run by Mr. Doron Natiga and Mr. Yehoyada Arieh, extends a surge of robust learning into the beginning of a busy week. All in all, learning sessions are active Friday night after davening, Sundays, and Mondays. The learning is loud, the energy is palpable, and the warmth of communal pride and big brothers’ love for their younger brothers shines.
Then there is the other weeknight programming for middle schoolers: the bowling nights and the snow tubing events accompanied by Israeli Sephardic music playing in a full van. All this is highly subsidized. R’ Lavi, with the financial help of R’ Daniel Golfeiz, takes care of it all.
The boys treasure their youth group. They are eager to learn and eager to play. As relationships with role models form, Ohr HaMizrach preserves its culture for any child. One need not be of Persian decent to attend, and one may belong to a different Sephardic synagogue.
For the Girls
Programming for girls began under the leadership of Aviva (Moinzadeh) Asaf and Racheli (Arieh) Khaver on a small scale in 2004. Today, it is a full-scale operation under the leadership of Mrs. Asaf’s sister, Mrs. Chana Lavi, and a model of such programing for any shul considering developing activities for girls.
Planning three months at a time, Mrs. Lavi holds a phone conference with Mrs. Ora (Nafisi) Attar and Rachel Nakhon, both women who loved youth group so much as they grew up that they couldn’t bear to part from it. The attendees present their choices of events, including Mrs. Lavi’s home-cooked seudat shlishit meals, snow tubing, Six Flags, bowling, and “Pizza in the Hut” (read: Sukkah), all highly subsidized. Events are always a success. If a program for 20 girls is planned, 30 are sure to show up.
Mrs. Lavi attributes this success partially to the proud identity and shared culture these programs foster. R’ Daniel Golfeiz tirelessly raises funds for the programs because he is concerned about the limitations placed on our children. “When the chinuch system says no to phones, movies, etc…,” says R’ Golfeiz, “what can kids do aside from learning?” Youth group provides a vital alternative. However, it is not so much what is planned but how it is run that makes the events a success; the key is the 12 staff members, who all attended as teens, and the relationships they form with the girls. These “big sisters” are role models of Iranian Jewish women today: They are open-minded, inquisitive, (often pursuing advanced educations), and just plain fun to be around. They exude a confidence and ability to function in the modern world while remaining committed to their heritage that is at once both natural and unusual in today’s times. The needs of these big sisters are not overlooked. Ohr HaMizrach runs staff get-togethers, too.
In working with these girls and their mentors, Mrs. Lavi, the “biggest sister,” will begin a seudat shlishit with a dvar Torah, where she speaks heart-to-heart with the girls and their mentors. Before Yom Kippur, she dispels the girls’ fear of the Day of Judgment, telling them that Hashem is our “Loving Father.” And when Mrs. Lavi speaks from the heart in this informal setting, the girls listen. Nothing is taboo. Discussions include technology, relationships – all the topics that a teen needs a safe environment to explore and learn. There was once a case of bullying, where a girl was taunted for her darker skin color outside of youth group. It was only in youth group that the girl could vent her feelings, receive encouragement, and feel at home.
Another mentor was an only child growing up. For her, youth group was home, a place where she found her “sisters.” She has fond memories of bonding with girls spread over three grades while snow tubing. A “hyped up,” silly blast of fun, Sephardic music blared in the cars on the way up, and the girls tossed jokes back and forth as they huffed up the mountain.
Most precious of all are the impromptu dance parties. Dance is a high energy, joyous form of spiritual expression in the Sephardic world. When these girls were in high school and even into their post-seminary years, it was a simple matter to quickly contact the group, arrange speakers, and gather in the social hall for a dance party. Free dancing, with wrists twirling gracefully, swaying to the rhythm, and singing at the top of their lungs to the old Persian songs, like “Soosan Chanam (Miss Susan),” and the music of Chaim Israel, Omer Adam, Itzik Daadia, and Gad Elbaz, these girls connected to each other deeply, shedding the day’s stress. Even now, they get together when one of them gets engaged to choreograph a surprise dance for the big day. For middle schoolers, high schoolers, and post-seminary girls – the programs never stop. For the women in their twenties, seudat shlishit with Rebbetzin Arieh in her home has become “an open space” to talk about shidduchim, work, and school,” says Hadassah Lavianlivi. Hadassah also describes moving brachos parties organized by Mrs. Sophia Zarabian, where the girls collect names of those needing help from Above and have them in mind when saying the proper bracha on the food. The message is clear: Persian women care about and support each other. They are a community.
A Final Word
Youth group programming began at Ohr HaMizrach to prevent a tragedy. Although the youth minyan separated teens from their families, it also bonded these teens to their families. (With this in mind, the policy has always been to hold holiday services as one main minyan.) What does one see today on a Shabbat morning? One sees sons and daughters proudly walking to shul with their mothers and fathers, whose sacrifices they deeply respect. And what does one see inside the main sanctuary? One sees elementary school boys leading the congregation in chanting the prayers before returning the Torah to the ark and at the end of the services for Adon Olam. For Yom Kippur Mincha, all the youth minyan boys, together with R’ Lavi, overflow the bima and divide the entire service among themselves. In the words of Mrs. Lavi, “These children feel needed. They shine. Isn’t that what we all need?”
When faced with the threat of assimilation, a few dedicated individuals and their leaders, with help from Above, have preserved the “Light of the East,” Ohr HaMizrach.
